Medical assault on the three-foot Guinea worm of Sudan

Telegraph ^ | February 17, 2010 | Peter Martell

[C19fan]

It was an agonising process that lasted days as the worms, measuring around one metre (three feet) in length, fought their way out of her body.

"They were very painful, you cannot rest or sleep," the young mother said, her baby resting on her back in a goatskin carrying pouch. ......................................................... The Carter Centre - the not-for-profit organisation founded by former US president Jimmy Carter - has been working in Sudan since 1989 to exterminate the worm once and for all.

He said that when they started their project in southern Sudan they found more than 100,000 cases of infection.

"Last year we had about 2,500 cases, and we believe that in the next two or three years we will have zero cases of Guinea worm in Sudan," he said during a mid-February visit to Lojura where he met worm-infected villagers.

[C19fan]

I learned about this nasty parasite in middle school biology class. I wonder what PETA and environuts think about eradicating a whole species?

[Waverunner]

Perhaps they will volunteer to be hosts to insure survival of the worm.... Also worm food used to mean you were dead....One of the most horrific reads is the journal of a british surgeon during the napoleanic wars, he wrote of the worms fleeing the bodies of the dead days after a large battle. ( tapeworms ect. were endemic then.}

[C19fan]

Ever watch that show “Monsters Inside Me”? If you can get past the disguisting aspects very interesting.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

From the article:

When we succeed," Carter said, "this will be the second disease in history ever eradicated from the face of the earth.

No problem, their idol Jimmah says it's a disease not an animal.

[bgill]

Next Jimmy can concentrate on mad rabbits.

[JoeProBono]

[Moltke]

I just removed Sudan from my list of possible vacation destinations. Again.

[Hot Tabasco]

It was an agonising process that lasted days as the worms, measuring around one metre (three feet) in length, fought their way out of her body.

Damn, I just violated the #1 rule regarding lunch and FReeping.........NEVER CLICK ON LINKS WITH BLOB FISH AND WORMS IN THEIR TITLE!

[goseminoles]

Hey! That blob fish is cute.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

I hope they are bringing these poor souls to a hospital in Washington D.C. for treatment. Hopefully, the same hospital where members of congress obtain their treatment.

[a fool in paradise]

Worm eating may be hazardous to your health!

[a fool in paradise]

What's eating you?

[aruanan]

Perhaps they will volunteer to be hosts to insure survival of the worm.... Also worm food used to mean you were dead....One of the most horrific reads is the journal of a british surgeon during the napoleanic wars, he wrote of the worms fleeing the bodies of the dead days after a large battle. ( tapeworms ect. were endemic then.}

There was a spoof website something like 5 years ago calling for volunteers to host guinea worms.

Though they usually exit through the legs, they can come out of the body ANYWHERE.

[MHGinTN]

IIRC, until the late thirties in the U.S., tapeworms were being sold as weight reduction ‘systems’.

[Joe 6-pack]

[AZ .44 MAG]

Enough to put you off of spaghetti for a while.

[MHGinTN]

“No Danger! ... No ill effects.”

[Joe 6-pack]

Actually it was the “No Diet - No Baths - No Exercise” claims that piqued my interst ;-)

[Daffynition]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. BBQ.

[C19fan]

How did the worms get expelled from your digestive tract when you reached your weight goal?